Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 3-6 October 2014

Posted on October 3, 2014 by LED Editor

International Lunar Geophysical Year Campaign May Help Advance Cislunar Development

National Space Society International Committee Chair David Dunlop Proposes 2017 Be Labeled International Lunar Geophysical Year; Several Initiatives Such As Organizing New Lunar-Focused Conferences & Highlighting International Lunar Initiatives At Major Conferences Will Aim To Expand Human Econosphere To Moon / Cislunar Space; Campaign Will Broaden & Compliment Lunar Science Mission Initiatives By National Space Agencies, GLXP Teams, Lunar CubeSat Missions & Independent Missions Like Those Of International Lunar Observatory Association

Image Credit: NSS, ILOA

Friday / 19 September 2014

Posted on September 18, 2014 by LED Editor

OHB Spacecraft 4M To Launch On China Rocket, Fly By Moon 28 October

OHB 4M

Manfred Memorial Moon Mission (4M), Dedicated To OHB Founder Manfred Fuchs, Developed By LuxSpace Of Luxembourg, To Travel 196 Hours To Moon, Fly By Surface 28 Oct 00:28:00 UT At 13,000 Km, Return To Earth; Will Measure Radiation During Flight & Around Moon, Transmit Radio Signals On Amateur Beacon; OHB Planning Moon Missions Including Landing Within Next Few Years; Likely Part Of China Technology Test Orbiter Moon Mission

Image Credit: OHB, LuxSpace

Wednesday / 17 September 2014

Posted on September 16, 2014 by LED Editor

Lunar Agriculture Study Indicates Potential Viability / Challenges

1st Large-Scale Controlled Experiment Investigating Plant Growth In Moon & Mars Soil Simulant; Research Led By Wieger Wamelink At Wageningen University In The Netherlands Indicates Plants Able To Germinate & Grow In Both Moon & Mars Simulant For 50 Days With No Additional Nutrients Though Poor Water Retention, High pH & Toxic Metals Pose Challenge For Lunar Agriculture; Study Utilized 4,200 Seeds Of Agricultural Crops, Wild Plants & Nitrogen Fixers; Further Research Needed On Characteristics Of Extra-Terrestrial Soils, Means Of Irrigation & Importing Friendly Bacteria, Fungi & Pollinators

Image Credit: NASA, wageningenur.nl

Tuesday / 16 September 2014

Posted on September 15, 2014 by LED Editor

Thorium Distribution Reveals Clues To Lunar History & Future

Analysis Of Compton-Belkovich Region On Moon Farside Shows Thorium Concentration Of 15 – 33ppm, Additional Thorium Unexpectedly Found Spread Up To 300km Eastward Of Region At ~2ppm; Distribution Of Thorium Likely Created By Explosive Eruption Of Silica Magma; Thorium Has Long Been Identified As A Potential Safe, Valuable Alternative For Nuclear Power & Option To Power Lunar Settlements; Spacepowers India & China Are Developing Plans To Advance Terrestrial Thorium Reactor Development

Image Credit: NASA, US Geological Society

Friday / 29 August 2014

Posted on August 28, 2014 by LED Editor

GLXP Teams: Moon Missions More Valuable Than Cash Prize

Penn State & Hakuto

Penn State Lunar Lion Aiming To Launch To Moon Dec 2015 Would Use US$20M Prize Money To Set Up Space Research Institute / Student Scholarships, Working On Integrating Propulsion & Control System Into Spacecraft – Recognize GLXP Isn’t Just An Investment To Make Money, But Make History; Japan Team Hakuto Stresses Lunar Skylights As Sites Of Potential Human Habitats (As Does Team Astrobotic), Hopes To Contribute To Human Understanding Of Moon, Working On Pair Of Rovers: 4-Wheeled 8kg Moonraker Would Lower 2-Wheeled 2kg Tetris Into Holes Using Tether

Image Credit: Penn State Lunar Lion, Team Hakuto

Tuesday / 26 August 2014

Posted on August 25, 2014 by LED Editor

Chandrayaan-2 On Schedule For 2017 Launch

M Annadurai Of ISRO, Project Manager For Chandrayaan-1 and 2, Confirms India Still Planning To Launch Its 2nd Moon Mission In 2017; GSLV Rocket Expected To Boost Probe Into Earth-Parking Orbit Of 170km X 18,500km; Mission Includes Orbiter With Scientific Payloads To Confirm Presence Of Water / Resources & Lander That Will Soft Land Then Deploy Rover To Conduct Mineralogical & Elemental Analysis Of Surrounding Area With 2 Spectroscope Payloads; Next GSLV Launch Expected Later This Year After Successful Launch In Jan 2014

Image Credit: ISRO

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 22-25 August 2014

Posted on August 22, 2014 by LED Editor

LRO / CRaTER Continue To Uncover Mysteries Of Lunar Poles

Solar Storms May Cause ‘Sparking’ In Permanently Shadowed Craters On Moon Poles Says Team Of Researchers From UNH & NASA Led By Andrew Jordan; Data From CRaTER Instrument Aboard LRO Indicates Solar Energetic Particles Build Up Electric Charges In Lunar Surface That Likely Disintegrate Regolith Into Distinct Minerals; Polar Craters Maintain Temperatures ~Minus 240 Degrees C, Known To Contain Water Ice; Team Now Investigating If Other LRO Instruments Can Detect Sparking

Image Credit: NASA, UNH

Friday / 22 August 2014

Posted on August 21, 2014 by LED Editor

CubeSat Technologies Advancing Toward Interplanetary Missions

Lunar SS Cubesats

CubeSat R&D Efforts For Moon, Mars, Solar System Missions Expected To Come To Fruition Soon With Initiatives Including Vermont Tech 10x10x30cm Mooncraft, JPL Dual Spacecraft INSPIRE (Interplanetary NanoSpacecraft Pathfinder In Relevant Environment), JPL Lunar Flashlight With 80m² Solar Sail; Greatest Benefit Is Low Cost To Produce & Launch With High Science Capabilities; Could Navigate Through Planetary Rings, Release PicoSats, Land On Surface; US$50K Vermont Lunar CubeSat Currently In LEO Testing Navigation Components For Moon Mission

Pictured: CubeSat Inventors Bob Twiggs (L) & Jordi Puig-Suari

Image Credit: NASA, JPL, ed-sat.com, Vermont Tech

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 8-11 August 2014

Posted on August 8, 2014 by LED Editor

Decision On LRO Fate May Be Released Next Week

Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Set To Complete First Extended Mission In Sep 2014, No Funding For Second Extended Mission Has Yet Been Granted, Will Likely Depend On Results Of Senior Review Of NASA Planetary Science Missions; Reports Indicate Senior Review Is Complete & Results Should Be Released Next Week; LRO Competing Against Other Missions Such As Cassini & Mars Opportunity Rover; Many Argue Using Existing Assets Such As LRO To Achieve New Discovery-Class Science Objectives Represents Highest Possible Return; The Lunar Orbiter Would Require Only US$8.1M For 2015 Operations

Pictured: LRO Project Scientist Richard Vondrak

Image Credit: NASA

Weekend Edition
Fri-Mon / 1-4 August 2014

Posted on August 1, 2014 by LED Editor

Lunar Plant Growth Experiment Small Step Toward Human Moon Habitation

Small Containers Of Seeds Will Be Sent By NASA On 2015 GLXP Team Moon Lander To Evaluate If Plants Can Germinate In Low-Gravity / High Radiation Lunar Environment; ~1-kg Payload Will Contain Arabidopsis Seeds, Cameras, Sensors, Communications Equipment, 5-10 Days Of Air; Duplicate Canisters Will Be Sent To USA Schools For Comparison; If Initial Experiment Successful NASA Plans To Put Garden On Lunar Surface To See If Plants Can Survive Frigid Lunar Night & If Multiple Generations Can Continue